JUNE 28

Speaking with Sincerity

The Prophet Muhammad is reported by Abu Hurayrah as having said:

“One who sits in an excessively noisy meeting, then before leaving the meeting says: ‘Glory be to You, O Lord, and praise. I bear witness that there is no God save You. I seek Your forgiveness, and turn to you in repentance,’ will have all that passed in that meeting forgiven him by God” (Tirmidhi, Nasai).

But it is not just a mechanical recital of these words which will earn us God’s forgiveness. That will be forthcoming only if we utter them in all earnestness and with a keen awareness of their meaning. The sentiments they convey must be endorsed by both heart and intellect. The Prophet in this instance was describing the action of a person who stands in fear of God. We have to imagine such an individual so forgetting himself in the course of a conversation that he raises his voice in anger, quarreling quite unnecessarily with his companions. But before matters have gone too far, his conscience comes into play and he realises that he has spoken out of turn. Ashamed of having gone to extremes and offended others, he turns to God for forgiveness.

One example of the form his supplication takes is that given in the saying of the Prophet quoted above. But, in order to be effective, the words of the prayer must be uttered in their true spirit; they must be spoken with full consciousness of their inherent meaning.

One should be moved in one’s heart of hearts to offer this prayer. No mindless parrotting of the words will ever earn the forgiveness of God.